Nintendo is sticking with a winning formula for the Switch 2. But will it be enough?

New York (CNN) — Nintendo found what works — and it’s not turning back.

That’s the impression the company gave last week when it introduced the Switch 2, which launches June 5 and costs $450 — substantially more than its $300 predecessor.

Nintendo’s next-generation console is a significantly upgraded version of its popular gaming device from eight years ago, a testament to the Switch’s popularity but also a gamble that its success will endure for the better part of the next decade. While the 2017-era Switch introduced gamers to the concept of a home console that also serves as a portable game machine, the Switch 2 doubles down on that idea — amid growing competition from PC rivals like Valve and Lenovo that have emerged over the last three years.

Nintendo is also launching its most important product in years at what may be the worst time — just before President Donald Trump introduced a slew of tariffs on foreign goods, which heavily target Asia, where many tech supply chains are based. As a result, the gaming giant on Friday postponed its April 9 US preorder date to “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions.”

“As you look at the prices that were announced … they factored in previous tariffs and how they had been administered, and where they had been administered,” Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser told CNN ahead of the company’s decision to delay US preorders. “… We’re currently actively assessing what steps we may need to take, and what may be next.”

Sticking with the same formula is a bold move for Nintendo, which rarely does the same thing twice. But if you ask Bowser, the Switch 2 continues what could be a long line of Nintendo devices that mix stationary and mobile gaming.

“We do believe that this idea of having a singular device that you can play as a handheld on the go, that you can set up in tabletop … and play with a friend, or that you can dock at home and play as a console-like device — we think that resonates with players,” he said when asked whether Nintendo would consider a new style of device in the future.

Nintendo’s new competition

The Switch 2 is entering a much more competitive environment than its predecessor did in 2017. Just about every major gaming brand has introduced a handheld console, with Valve’s Steam Deck being the most popular.

The Steam Deck launched in 2022 as an answer to the Switch for PC gamers, allowing players to access their library of computer games on a dedicated mobile gaming device rather than a laptop or desktop. Since the Steam Deck’s launch, a handful of other computing giants, such as Asus, Lenovo and Logitech, have introduced their own handheld game machines.

Valve — also known as the developer of Team Fortress, Dota and other popular video games — is the leader among these PC rivals with 48% of the PC handheld market in 2024, according to the Verge, citing data from the International Data Corporation.

Still, those statistics indicate the market is far behind Nintendo, with just under 6 million units shipped compared to the 150 million Switches that have been sold thus far. Nintendo sold 15.7 million hardware units in its fiscal year that ended in March 2024 alone, according to its earnings statement.

It’s an indication that Nintendo is onto something — and one of its biggest rivals has taken notice, too.

Sony launched the PlayStation Portal in 2023, a handheld device that can stream games from a PlayStation 5, so that gamers don’t have to hog the living room TV when playing. Microsoft, meanwhile, has pushed the idea that any device can be “an Xbox” by streaming games from its cloud service.

With the Switch 2, Nintendo is bridging some of the gaps between its older handheld console and its competition. It has more powerful hardware, including more storage, 4K support, a larger screen and an improved cooling system. Plus, the new Joy-Con controllers can be used like a computer mouse, perhaps another indication that Nintendo is looking to woo the computer gaming crowd.

“While the form factor is the same, everything inside has completely been either upgraded or enhanced or is new,” Bowser said.

However, hardware is only half the story. Nintendo is best known for its universe of exclusive games and iconic characters, from Mario to Zelda and Kirby. But it’s making a much bigger push into third-party software with the Switch 2, as evidenced by the slew of popular titles — such as Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077 — showcased during Nintendo’s presentation last week.

That could potentially prevent consumers from having to choose between a Switch 2 or a Steam Deck, the latter of which typically offers a much wider variety of non-Nintendo games.

“It’s about appealing to the broadest set of players that we possibly can,” Bowser said when asked whether the focus on third-party titles was intended to court Steam Deck fans.

A higher price

In addition to its hardware and software, the Switch 2’s higher price also puts it in closer competition than ever before with rivals from Sony, Microsoft and Valve, among others. The Switch 2 starts at $450, while Sony and Microsoft offer certain editions of their PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles for $400 and $450, respectively. The Steam Deck starts at $399.

Games are also seemingly getting a price hike, with Mario Kart World costing a whopping $80.

The higher price arrives in a challenging economy in which consumers are struggling to afford everyday items, let alone game consoles and more competition. But Nintendo is banking on its signature charm and quirkiness to distinguish the Switch 2 as a worthwhile investment.

For example, one of the Switch 2’s hallmark new features is a social system called GameChat, through which players can share their screen while chatting and use dedicated camera to see each other while playing.

Nintendo is also experimenting with new ways to use the Joy-Con controllers, such as by dragging them across a surface to move characters on screen.

And then of course, there’s Mario. Nintendo didn’t reveal a new mainline Mario title during its Switch 2 announcement, but Bowser hinted that it may only be a matter of time.

“Stay tuned,” he said. “You know, we have a long, long catalog, and a long list of (intellectual property) that I’m sure will make its way to the platform.”

The-CNN-Wire
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